Legend of the Female General

Chapter 130: Painting Eyebrows

The young man stood tall and straight as a pine tree, his dark blue robe lending him an air of noble elegance. His eyes were as dark as the night, shimmering with layers of cool indifference, yet the corners of his mouth curved upward with a hint of casual mockery.

That single word, "Madam," was as rich and mellow as aged wine, intoxicating everyone present.

He Yan was no exception. She felt the places his breath had brushed over instantly stiffen, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Miss Yan bit her lip as she looked at Xiao Jue, her heart torn between awe and envy. Such a peerlessly handsome man was already married—and to that country bumpkin beside him? How could that be!

Seeing He Yan silent, Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow, softening his tone further. "Did she bully you?"

He Yan snapped back to reality with a start and was about to speak when Miss Yan cut in first. "Young master, this humble woman has done no such thing. It's merely that this... young lady and I happened to take a liking to the same dress."

When speaking to Xiao Jue, Miss Yan was nothing like her earlier aggressive self. She had transformed into a gentle, demure figure, her eyes lingering on Xiao Jue as if unable to tear themselves away.

"But I clearly heard you just now, saying our young madam has no money!" Lin Shuanghe, ever the troublemaker, fanned himself lightly. "Even I, as the steward, couldn't bear to listen."

Steward? The green-clad shop assistant, who had been too afraid to utter a word, inwardly gasped. He had thought this man was a young master from some noble family, but he turned out to be a steward. Extraordinary, truly extraordinary. This group's appearance and bearing were all exceptional—could it be that some important figure had arrived in Jiyang? He wondered if he had inadvertently offended them earlier.

Xiao Jue turned his head slightly to ask He Yan, "Have you chosen anything?"

He Yan shook her head.

Miss Yan then offered the water-blue dress she had been clutching—the one He Yan had admired earlier—with a gentle smile. "If the young lady truly likes this dress, I am willing to part with it."

He Yan: "..."

Was Xiao Jue's face really that effective? The change in attitude was so drastic it was as if she were a completely different person. Being good-looking really had its advantages, He Yan thought sourly.

Xiao Jue merely glanced at her indifferently, not reaching out to take the dress. Instead, he addressed the green-clad shop assistant standing nearby. "What's upstairs?"

"Replying to the young master," the assistant replied while wiping sweat from his brow, "our Embroidered Silks Pavilion has five floors. The third to fifth floors are dedicated to women's ready-to-wear clothing, with the fifth floor housing the most precious garments, specially crafted for noble clientele. The prices... are also considerably higher."

"Bring out your shop's treasure."

Miss Yan's face stiffened.

He Yan was also startled. She tugged at Xiao Jue's sleeve and whispered, "There's no need. I can just wear something ordinary..."

What kind of financial situation did their household have that they dared to choose the most expensive option? He Yan felt it was highly inappropriate.

Xiao Jue remained calm. "Be quiet."

The assistant at Embroidered Silks Pavilion was a capable one. With a simple "Please wait a moment," he hurried upstairs. Before long, he returned carrying a small box wrapped in soft satin and placed it on the round table in the room.He unlocked the chest and carefully lifted out a thin, pale-white silk embroidered dress. The pattern was not complex, less flamboyant than the previous ones, but as sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon the fabric, the originally plain white color refracted a rainbow-like shimmer, faintly visible like mermaid scales, tinged with soft shades of blue, purple, gold, and pink. It was both thin and soft, unlike anything of this mortal world.

"This is clothing woven from Mermaid Silk. I dare say, not only is this unique in Embroidery Silk Workshop, but it’s the only one in all of Jiyang and Great Wei. This Mermaid Silk was bought at a high price from a maritime merchant. The rest of the fabric was used for Her Highness the Princess, and the last remaining bit was made into this 'Tear Silk' dress, because under sunlight, the gown emits the color of a mermaid’s tears. Sir, this is the treasure of our shop."

Xiao Jue’s gaze swept over the garment in the clerk’s hands. "Barely acceptable."

He Yan thought, why bother with all these flashy descriptions? It’s just a piece of clothing. What Mermaid Silk? As if mermaids really existed in this world—it’s just a gimmick. How could anyone believe it?

"How much?" Lin Shuanghe asked.

The young clerk held up one finger. "One hundred gold."

"One hundred gold?" He Yan exclaimed in shock. "Why don’t you just rob us!"

Selling a single dress for one hundred gold was far too extravagant! Even in her past life as a noble young master or lady, she had never been this lavish.

The clerk smiled. "Madam, don’t underestimate this dress. Besides its beauty, it’s also a treasure—it can be used for self-defense, impervious to blades, fire, and water. A hundred gold for a dress may seem expensive, but for a treasure like this, it’s actually quite a bargain."

"Unnecessary," Chi Wu whispered to Fei Nu beside him. "Noble ladies who can afford such a dress—do they really go climbing mountains of blades or braving seas of fire? Truly unnecessary."

"This one," Xiao Jue said calmly. "Pick a few more from the fifth floor as well. Take them all."

"Right away!" The clerk was overjoyed. Such a generous customer wasn’t encountered every day. Seizing the opportunity, he continued, "Would you like to take a look at the jewelry in our Embroidery Silk Workshop as well? This 'Tear Silk' dress pairs best with a pearl hairpin shaped like a peony, a pair of exquisite white jade earrings, and shoes of the same color. Only then would a beauty like Madam, once in a century, not be wasted."

He Yan: "?"

Xiao Jue: "You choose."

Miss Yan on the side was stunned. He Yan felt this was inappropriate and tugged at Xiao Jue’s sleeve, pulling him toward her. "This is too wasteful!"

Xiao Jue’s tone was indifferent. "Let go."

He Yan immediately released her grip.

The clerk did as Xiao Jue said, selecting a few more dresses and some jewelry. He brought a small chest over for everyone to inspect, listing each item before closing the chest. "That will be two hundred gold in total."

He Yan felt like fainting.

Xiao Jue said to Lin Shuanghe, "Pay."

Lin Shuanghe was startled. "...Me?"

"Or should I pay? Steward."

Lin Shuanghe: "..."

He had no choice but to reluctantly take out a silver note from his sleeve, forcing a smile as he handed it over. "Alright, fine. I’ll pay."

Just as he was about to hand over the silver note, Xiao Jue said, "Wait."

Everyone paused. He Yan’s heart leapt with joy. What, had he suddenly realized his extravagance was excessive and decided to turn back from the brink?Xiao Jue looked at Miss Yan, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips as he said leisurely, "I forgot to ask—did you also take a fancy to the same trunk of clothes? If you like them, I, Qiao, am willing to part with them."

Miss Yan’s expression turned extremely unpleasant. Although her family was wealthy, they didn’t carry two hundred gold coins around casually when going out. Moreover, they had tailors at home to make clothes specially. Spending two hundred gold on ready-made garments from a shop would be hard to justify in the accounts. This excessively handsome man… was clearly avenging his wife!

Gritting her teeth, she said, "Thank you for your concern, but I… don’t like them."

Xiao Jue nodded, signaling Fei Nu to pack up the trunk. Just as he was about to leave, he turned to her again. "Let me offer you a kind reminder."

Everyone was taken aback.

The man with a face as flawless as jade had gentle eyes and brows, but his tone was filled with biting sarcasm.

"Your skin is too dark. The clothes from Xiuluo Workshop aren’t suitable for you. Try another shop."

…

Even after reaching downstairs, Lin Shuanghe was still clutching his stomach, laughing uncontrollably.

"Hahahahaha! Huai… Young Master, your words are truly too cutting! Did you see that girl’s face just now? Good heavens, if I were her, I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight! Her heart was set on you, and not only did you reject her, but you also mocked her like that. My goodness, hahahahaha!"

He Yan also felt that Xiao Jue’s actions were rather childish, but what surprised her even more wasn’t that. She caught up to Xiao Jue in a few quick steps and asked, "Was she trying to take the clothes I chose because her skin is too dark to wear those colors?"

No wonder, she thought. It was her first time in Jiyang, and she had no grudge against the other party, so why would she come looking for trouble? Only after hearing Xiao Jue’s remark as they left did she realize that perhaps the shop assistant’s repeated emphasis on "fair skin" while introducing the clothes to her had upset Miss Yan. There were people like that in the world—envious and resentful of others for having what they lacked.

"Aren’t you good at lying? Is that all you’re capable of?" Xiao Jue’s expression returned to indifference as he scoffed, "Couldn’t you tell she was jealous of you?"

"How would I know I have something to make others jealous of?" He Yan muttered, "Especially being envied by a woman."

Being envied by men was common—things like exceptional martial skills, speed, or drinking capacity. So this was what it felt like to be envied by a woman. Thinking this way, she found the jealousy among women rather endearing—just a bit of bickering and petty tricks, unlike men who would resort to violence at the slightest provocation.

And… she asked Xiao Jue, "Am I very fair? Is that why she was jealous? Am I very fair?"

Usually, seeing her dressed as a young man, he had grown accustomed to it. But suddenly, with her long hair let down, though still wearing young men’s clothes, her lively and charming eyes and brows unmistakably revealed her as a young woman. Though she looked a bit silly…

Xiao Jue averted his gaze. "Like a lump of charcoal."

He Yan: "…"

Would it kill him to say something nice?

Behind them, the two newly bought maids in pink followed timidly, not daring to speak. Chi Wu watched the scene of He Yan deliberately teasing Xiao Jue up ahead, rubbed his arms, and couldn’t help but say to Fei Nu, "This He Yan… she’s adapting to her role a bit too quickly… Look at her now, she’s completely acting like a woman. It gives me goosebumps—it’s so unsettling."

Fei Nu: "Do not look at what is improper; do not listen to what is improper."Upon returning to the inn, the two young maidservants first glanced at He Yan. One of them timidly said, "Madam, we will go upstairs first to tidy up the room. Please wait a moment before coming up."

He Yan: "...Alright."

After the two girls went upstairs, He Yan asked, "Are these the maids you bought? They're far too young!"

The two girls looked to be at most twelve or thirteen years old. It was unclear whether they were truly that age or appeared youthful due to extreme thinness, but they looked exactly alike—a pair of twins.

Lin Shuanghe replied, "There was no other choice. Our young master is too handsome. If we found someone around your age, they might develop improper thoughts. What if they tried to climb into the young master's bed in the middle of the night? Only such young and naive girls are safe and reliable."

Upon hearing this, He Yan thought Lin Shuanghe was practically a genius. His reasoning made perfect sense. Judging by the reaction of Miss Yan at the Xiuluo Workshop earlier, Xiao Jue's face and figure were indeed enough to attract unwanted attention. It was better to be cautious.

Lin Shuanghe added, "Don't let their youth fool you—they cost me a lot of silver. I say..." He suddenly realized something and turned to Xiao Jue. "You insisted on bringing me to Jiyang not because you needed a steward, but because you needed a money pouch, didn't you?"

He Yan couldn't help but laugh.

Lin Shuanghe continued to lament Xiao Jue's actions indignantly. "Do you know how unrighteous this is? You buy clothes and maids for your wife, stay at inns—why should I pay for it all? She's not mine!"

He Yan's laughter died in her throat.

Xiao Jue spoke indifferently, "Why have you been safe and sound all the way to Jiyang?"

"...Because of you," Lin Shuanghe replied. Obviously, with Xiao Jue around, who would dare to rob them on the road?

Xiao Jue acknowledged this with a slight nod. "Then that settles it. Protection fee."

Lin Shuanghe stammered, "P-protection fee?"

He began, "Xiao—"

Xiao Jue gently shushed him, glancing at the boxes outside and raising an eyebrow. "Go move the things, Steward Lin."

Lin Shuanghe had never won an argument with Xiao Jue. He snorted, pulled a few round objects from his sleeve, and stuffed them into He Yan's hands.

He Yan was puzzled. "What are these?"

"Rouge and powder I bought for you, Madam." Lin Shuanghe's attitude toward He Yan remained quite friendly. "On our way to find you after buying the maids, we already encountered Cui Yuezhi's men. The Cui family had arranged things with the city gate guards in advance. They were instructed to report back as soon as they saw Qiao Huanqing's pass. We might be staying at the Cui residence tonight. All things considered, you'll need these."

He Yan frowned at the cosmetics in her hands. This was truly a bit too much for her.

"I'll go move the things now," Lin Shuanghe said, waving his hand. He leaned closer to He Yan and whispered, "Sister He, dress up nicely. Let those blind fools see how stunningly beautiful you are. I have high hopes for you. Tonight, you'll be the most dazzling pearl in all of Jiyang."

He Yan: "..." She was truly grateful for his enthusiasm.

From the corridor above came the clear, youthful voices of the little maids: "Madam, Young Master, we've tidied the room. You may enter now."

Xiao Jue said, "Let's go."

He Yan tucked the cosmetics away and walked upstairs with Xiao Jue. When they reached the room door, she paused and asked hesitantly, "Are you coming in too?"Although they were now nominally husband and wife, sharing a room like this? She still needed to change clothes—wasn’t this a bit inappropriate?

Xiao Jue looked at her as if she were a fool, then after a long pause said, “I’ll go to Lin Shuanghe’s room. Call me when you’re done changing.”

He Yan: “…Alright.”

She entered her room, where the two maids stepped aside, their grape-like eyes watching her cautiously as they awaited her instructions. He Yan couldn’t bear such looks from young girls, so she sat down and asked kindly, “What are your names?”

“This servant is Cui Jiao.”

“This servant is Hong Qiao.”

He Yan nodded. “Good names. Cui Jiao, Hong Qiao, I’m a bit hungry now. Could you go to the kitchen downstairs and make some pastries for me? Freshly baked, and please keep an eye on them until they’re ready, alright?”

The girls nodded eagerly. “Yes, Madam. We’ll go right away.”

Once Cui Jiao and Hong Qiao had left, He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. She still wasn’t quite used to being served by others. Glancing at the clothes and jewelry in the trunk, she felt another headache coming on. After some thought, she decided to let it go for now and went to wash her face, intending to clean off the deliberately darkened eyebrows.

Now that she was traveling with Xiao Jue, for convenience’s sake, she hadn’t deliberately darkened her face. After spending a winter in Liangzhou Guard, her complexion had already turned fair. There was clean hot water in the room. He Yan washed her face, dried it with a handkerchief, and sat down at the table.

Perhaps it was because she had grown another year older, but Miss He Yan’s face had become even more delicate compared to a year ago, her features more distinct. What was once merely a charming little beauty had now shed a touch of commonness, gaining instead a hint of heroic spirit and clarity. At this moment, she truly looked somewhat captivating.

Having grown accustomed to seeing herself in men’s attire, the sight of herself in women’s clothing felt a bit unfamiliar. He Yan picked up the wooden comb on the table and began to smooth out her long hair. Her gaze then fell on the pile of cosmetics Lin Shuanghe had given her.

Rouge and lip color… how were they used? She couldn’t quite remember. As Madam He, she had used them a few times, but later, maids had taken care of it, so she never had to do it herself. Now, she truly didn’t know where to start.

She picked up the Snail Ink on the table. Better to start with what she was familiar with.

He Yan leaned closer to the mirror and began to carefully, stroke by stroke, draw her eyebrows.

Just as she finished one eyebrow, someone knocked on the door. Holding the Snail Ink in one hand, He Yan opened the door with the other. Standing outside was Xiao Jue.

He shoved the trunk into her hands and said impatiently, “You forgot your clothes.”

He Yan slapped her forehead. “Right! I almost forgot.”

How could she have forgotten the clothes worth two hundred gold? What was the point of doing her makeup then? He Yan said to Xiao Jue, “Thank you.”

Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on her face. He paused, then asked incredulously, “What did you draw?”

He Yan: “Eyebrows! How’s my skill?”

Xiao Jue’s lips twitched.

She was used to dressing as a man, naturally drawing her eyebrows thick and bold to achieve the look of a sharp-browed, bright-eyed youth. Now, with her long hair loose and her face adorned for a woman, she naturally needed to draw feminine eyebrows. But the difference between He Yan’s male and female eyebrows was simply turning sharp brows into curved ones.

A single curved, thick, and bold eyebrow lay above her eye like a plump earthworm.

Xiao Jue couldn’t bear to look any longer.He grabbed He Yan's arm and dragged her to the washbasin, his voice cold. "Wash it off."

"Why?" He Yan looked up. "I think it looks fine."

Xiao Jue lowered his eyes to look at her, a faint, cold smile on his lips. "You think it looks fine?"

"Alright," He Yan muttered softly, "...it's not that great either."

But so what? Everyone has their own expertise. She was skilled at what men did but clumsy at what women did—it wasn't something she had developed overnight.

"Where are those two maids?"

"They went to the kitchen to get me something to eat." He Yan quickly washed off the eyebrows she had just drawn, dried her face with a handkerchief, and sighed in frustration. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, she said, "This is the only way I know how to draw eyebrows. How about..." She opened her palm, revealing the Snail Ink lying in it. "You do it?"

This was meant as a casual joke, but to her surprise, Xiao Jue glanced at her and actually reached out to take it.

Now, He Yan was truly startled.

Xiao Jue walked over to the spot by the window. Seeing her standing still, he said, "Come here."

He Yan instinctively went over.

He spoke again, "Sit down."

He Yan sat down on the stool in front of him. Still finding it unbelievable, she asked, "Are you really going to draw them for me?"

Xiao Jue's gaze swept over her uneasy face, and the corner of his mouth lifted meaningfully. "Scared?"

"Scared?" He Yan immediately straightened her posture. "What do I have to be scared of? I'm just afraid you won't do a good job. You might be boasting for nothing."

Xiao Jue scoffed, "Overthinking it. Sit still."

In Jiyang in March, the weather was warm and sunny. Sunlight streamed in through the window, gently touching the young man's face. This refined and handsome man, with his slender fingers holding the eyebrow ink, lightly brushed it over her brows.

He Yan felt uneasy.

She had never imagined that Xiao Jue would draw her eyebrows for her. In this life or the last, she had never been this close to a man. Even her husband, Xu Zhiheng, had never done such a thing during their newlywed days. For a man to draw a woman's eyebrows, in the eyes of others, might carry connotations of being a femme fatale or indulging in beauty. But the sight of Xiao Jue carefully drawing her eyebrows made her momentarily captivated.

He Yan immediately became aware of her own fascination and leaned back slightly.

Xiao Jue frowned. "Don't move."

She froze, and his hand had already cupped the back of her head, pulling her closer to him. In an instant, the distance between them shrank even further.

And she could see him even more clearly.

Stripped of his sharpness and coldness, Xiao Jue seemed exceptionally gentle in that moment. His thick, long eyelashes half-concealed his dark pupils, veiling the coolness in his gaze like autumn water. Sitting lazily, his features were elegant and peerless. His thin lips were a tempting shade of red, making it hard to look away.

She recalled a rainy night in her past life. If she had known it was him back then, if she could have seen him, would she have been gentler and less fierce when accepting his kindness, especially when faced with this face?

Perhaps her gaze was too intense, impossible to ignore even if one tried. Xiao Jue paused his movements and met her eyes.

He Yan immediately felt the guilt of being caught doing something wrong.

Xiao Jue frowned slightly. "Why is your face so red?"

"Me?" He Yan was taken aback and instinctively covered her cheeks with both hands. Indeed, they felt warm. Unable to come up with a reason on the spot, she stammered, unable to speak.Xiao Jue stared at her for a moment, then suddenly leaned closer. "You couldn't be..." He raised an eyebrow, his gaze inscrutable, and smiled. "Liking..."

"No, no, no!" Before he could finish, He Yan immediately denied it, raising both hands as if swearing an oath. "Really not! With your celestial grace, how could a mere mortal like me dare to harbor such thoughts? I absolutely wouldn’t dare to have any improper feelings toward you! Really!"

Xiao Jue leaned back, still holding the Snail Ink. Seeing her flustered denial, he scoffed lazily. "I didn’t even say anything. Why so worked up?" He raised an eyebrow again. "Guilty conscience?"

"I really don’t!" He Yan grew frantic.

What's wrong with this person? Why are they still hung up on this matter? Is it fun to tease people? What kind of terrible taste is this?

Outside the door, two maids held trays of snacks, unsure whether to enter or not.

"Should we go in or not?" Hong Qiao whispered.

"B-better not," Cui Jiao replied. "I’ve seen scholars reciting poetry. The mistress and young master are in a moment of deep affection right now. It’s best not to disturb them."

"Oh." Hong Qiao nodded, not fully understanding.

Cui Jiao wondered, what was that line of poetry called again? It was something like, "After finishing my makeup, I whisper to my husband: Are my eyebrows drawn in the latest fashion?"

Exactly like that.

Shop assistant: Mermaid shimmer, niche French-style early spring maxi dress, pearlescent pink-white + shimmering mermaid color, just the right amount of sweet pink. It’s so beautiful in the sunlight it’ll make you cry. Let’s all be little fairies together~

Why do I love using these cheesy tropes so much...

(End of Chapter)